Antitrust Laws and Competition Issues

News about Antitrust Laws and Competition Issues, including commentary and archival articles published in The New York Times.

Chronology of Coverage

Feb. 26, 2015

Supreme Court rules, 6-to-3, in case North Carolina State Board of Dental Examiners v Federal Trade Commission that state's dental board can be sued for driving teeth-whitening services out of business under antitrust laws. MORE

Feb. 24, 2015

Andrew Ross Sorkin DealBook column contends Federal Judge Nicholas G Garaufis's antitrust ruling against American Express will not only most likely result in retail prices remaining the same, but credit card companies may also end up raising their annual fees and lending rates to compensate for lost merchant fees. MORE

Feb. 20, 2015

Federal District Court Judge Nicholas G Garaufis rules practice by American Express of keeping customers from using other credit cards that charge lower fees violates federal antitrust laws. MORE

Feb. 20, 2015

DealBook Online; Federal Trade Commission files suit to stop proposed merger of Sysco and US Foods; says deal would impose higher prices and poorer service for customers. MORE

Feb. 17, 2015

Editorial cautions Obama administration against making rash decisions about open skies agreements that have served American travelers well, noting request by Delta, United and American to renegotiate agreements with United Arab Emirates and Qatar; holds renegotiating agreements due to fact that country subsidizes its airlines is unprecedented, and could result in requests in kind from other countries regarding treatment of American air carriers. MORE

Feb. 10, 2015

Qualcomm says it will pay $975 million for breaking China's antimonopoly law; settlement allows company to work closely with Chinese smartphone firms, where it derives half its revenue; ruling nevertheless opens new phase in economic conflict between China and United States. MORE

Feb. 7, 2015

Many United States legacy airlines are challenging so-called open-skies agreements, urging Obama administration to restrict access of Persian Gulf and other foreign carriers to US airspace; agreements long fostered competition that has led to lower fares and increased number of international flights, but airlines are now complaining that carriers like those out of Persian Gulf have unfair advantage due to government subsidies. MORE

Jan. 15, 2015

Adobe, Apple, Google and Intel are said to be prepared to pay out $415 million to settle class action suit, which will end case against them if judge approves it, as plaintiff's lawyers find amount acceptable; companies are accused of colluding to keep wages for engineers low through pact not to compete between each other in hiring. MORE

Dec. 24, 2014

Israel's fledgling natural gas industry is rattled after antitrust officials threaten to breakup American-Israeli group's hold on country's gas resources; argue that Noble Energy, Houston-based oil company, and partners Delek Drilling and Avner Oil Exploration, have monopoly on sector; fear group could overcharge in nation that is particularly reliant on gas. MORE

Dec. 19, 2014

Daimler is setting aside 600 million euros, or $748 million, to cover potential costs arising from European Union investigation into possible price fixing by Europe's biggest truck makers. MORE

Dec. 17, 2014

Federal court in California rejects decade-old antitrust lawsuit against Apple, which alleged that company created monopoly over the digital music market when they sold iPods that could only play songs from iTunes or those downloaded from CDs; verdict ends class-action suit that was in various courts in various forms, containing various accusations. MORE

Dec. 16, 2014

Editorial observes that airfares have remained high this holiday season despite steep drop in oil prices; holds biggest reasons for this are strong demand for air travel and growing power of the highly-consolidated airline industry; argues lack of competition has begun to seriously harm consumers, and has allowed the industry to exert troubling political influence. MORE

Dec. 15, 2014

A class-action suit nearly a decade in the making has finally headed to the jury room in a federal court in Oakland, Calif. MORE

Dec. 5, 2014

The late Apple chief defended his company’s decision to strictly control the music that can be played on an iPod in testimony recorded six months before his death. MORE

Dec. 1, 2014

Apple is set to go to trial in third major antitrust lawsuit it has faced since Steve Jobs died; Jobs's emails have been used in previous two cases and will play important role in upcoming case, and have made him exceptional witness against his own company. MORE

Nov. 28, 2014

European Parliament passes nonbinding vote to break up Google; symbolic resolution comes one day after a separate European body sought to expand online privacy rights across Continent, and signifies growing antipathy to American technological dominance in the European Union. MORE

Nov. 22, 2014

Federal Judge Denise L Cote approves settlement in which Apple could begin paying $400 million to as many as 23 million consumers; payments are related to charges that it violated antitrust law by conspiring with publishers to raise e-book prices and thwart efforts by Amazon. MORE

Nov. 10, 2014

China is using its growing economic and financial muscle to dictate new terms to multinational companies, with dozens of American, European and Japanese businesses facing penalties for corruption, monopolistic practices and tax evasion; China's increasing economic nationalism is expected to be topic of debate as heads of state and corporate chieftains arrive in Beijing for major economic summit. MORE

Nov. 9, 2014

The Upshot; decision by Philadelphia Parking Authority to impound cars used by Uber car service underscores disconnect between Republicans at the local level and at the national level; while Republicans in Washington have hailed Uber as symbol of entrepreneurial innovation that could be strangled by regulation, Republicans in state agencies like the Philadelphia Parking Authority favor anticompetitive business regulations. MORE

Oct. 27, 2014

China is investing billions in domestic chip makers as well as using legal action against multinationals and, experts say, espionage; country imported $232 billion of semiconductor products in 2013; government task force is estimated to have $170 billion in government support to spend over five to 10 years. MORE

Oct. 20, 2014

Paul Krugman Op-Ed column argues that Amazon has accumulated too much power in a way that hurts America, comparing it to Standard Oil in the era of robber barons; holds Amazon is not a monopoly but a monopsonist, dominant buyer with the power to push prices down; says company's immense control over the book market represents an undesirable influence over the free flow of ideas and public discourse. MORE

Oct. 18, 2014

Editorial submits Supreme Court case North Carolina State Board of Dental Examiners vs Federal Trade Commission, which concerns whether dentists should have monopoly on teeth-whitening services, could clarify whether antitrust laws apply to professional licensing bodies; holds board's arguments that subjecting it to antitrust laws would weaken its authority and empower bureaucrats are misplaced. MORE

Oct. 15, 2014

Supreme Court justices express concern and frustration during arguments over case involving North Carolina dental board's efforts to drive unlicensed teeth-whitening services out of business; note that case has raised larger questions about regulation of professions. MORE

Oct. 14, 2014

Joe Nocera Op-Ed column defends Amazon from spurious charges of monopoly, noting company has not come close to violating any of the United States' antitrust laws; holds while Amazon has been ruthless in its dealings with competitors, it has continually put the desires of the consumer first, fact attested to by its enduring popularity. MORE

Oct. 8, 2014

Editorial warns that if beer manufacturer Anheuser-Busch InBev's effort to purchase SABMiller is successful, about 30 percent of $150 million per year global beer industry will be controlled by one company; says that such large scale consolidation, which has already occurred elsewhere in industry, leads to higher prices and fewer choices; contends that regulators should not approve InBev-SABMiller deal unless SABMiller divests its Miller brand beers. MORE

Oct. 3, 2014

The European Commission approved the deal despite vocal opposition from telecom companies concerned that the acquisition will harm their messaging and voice businesses. MORE

Sep. 29, 2014

David Carr The Media Equation column observes that Comcast is lashing out at critics in filing submitted in defense of its proposed merger with Time Warner Cable; contends that merger has raised issues that are hugely important, ones that cannot be addressed by bombast. MORE

Sep. 29, 2014

Hundreds of writers, including some of the world's most distinguished, are joining coalition of those who are banding together to publicly protest Amazon's tactics in fight with Hachette over e-book prices; writers are calling for Justice Dept to investigate company for illegal monopoly tactics. MORE

Sep. 18, 2014

Federal Trade Commission is using Clayton Antitrust Act of 1914 to challenge some hospital mergers and acquisitions and has had remarkable success; FTC suggests consumers may be victimized by trend toward consolidation. MORE

Sep. 16, 2014

New York Attorney Gen Eric T Schneiderman files antitrust lawsuit seeking to stop pharmaceutical company Actavis from forcing patients with Alzheimer's disease to switch to new version of its widely used drug Namenda; argues move is attempt to blunt competition from low-priced generic versions. MORE

Sep. 12, 2014

Chinese regulators fine Volkswagen and Chrysler for violating antitrust laws, announcing the first monetary penalties against large multinational carmakers swept up in broad investigation. MORE

Sep. 9, 2014

Google has been under fire across Europe, reflecting broader challenges facing American technology companies; has become glaring proxy for criticism of an intrusive American government and concern over United States's unmatched tech dominance; regulators push company to give up more in antitrust settlement, demanding it make changes to its algorithm. MORE

Sep. 9, 2014

United States Chamber of Commerce, in a report on China's aggressive enforcement of its antimonopoly law, raises the prospect of a formal trade complaint with World Trade Organization. MORE

Sep. 6, 2014

Google, Apple, Intel and Abode file court papers asking United States Appeals Court for Ninth Circuit to reject Federal Judge Lucy H Koh's ruling that $324.5 million payout is too meager to settle class-action antitrust suit; tech giants are accused of hiring practices that conspire against their own employees. MORE

Sep. 4, 2014

United States-China Business Council, group that lobbies on behalf of about 220 large American companies with operations in China, issues report taking direct aim at China's aggressive application of antimonopoly law and highlighting ways enforcement can be improved; move is apparent push back on China's antitrust clampdown on companies like Microsoft, Qualcomm and others. MORE

Sep. 2, 2014

The order will stand until the court holds a hearing this year. Uber said it would continue to operate in Germany despite the threat of criminal charges and fines. MORE

Aug. 27, 2014

India's antimonopoly regulator fines 14 automobile companies about $422 million in total for failing to allow fair competition in market for spare parts; companies, including Ford and General Motors, were found to have broken fair-trading rules. MORE

Aug. 22, 2014

NCAA notifies United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit that it intends to appeal judge’s ruling in Ed O’Bannon case that it had violated antitrust laws. MORE

Aug. 21, 2014

Chinese regulators intensify their antitrust scrutiny of multinationals, finding 12 Japanese auto parts and bearings manufacturers guilty of fixing prices charged to Chinese factories of at least five automakers, imposing fines totaling roughly $200 million; fines coincide with deteriorating diplomatic relations between the two countries. MORE

Aug. 20, 2014

NSK and NTN, two Japanese makers of automotive bearings, say that National Development and Reform Commission of China has ordered them to pay fines for violating antitrust laws. MORE

Aug. 19, 2014

Chinese government investigators have found Mercedes-Benz unit of Daimler in violation of antitrust price rules. MORE

Aug. 14, 2014

Editorial applauds ruling by Federal Judge Claudia Wilken stating that National Collegiate Athletic Association ban on paying college players for use of their images violates anti-trust laws; holds decision is significant victory for college athletes; adds limits still exist that protect NCAA's procompetitive goals and prevent emergence of free-market system that would only benefit richest colleges. MORE

Aug. 14, 2014

Zhang Xinzhu, adviser to Chinese government antitrust committee, is dismissed following claims that he accepted payments from American technology company Qualcomm, which is under investigation in China on suspicion of antitrust violations. MORE

Aug. 13, 2014

General Motors says that it has been contacted by Chinese authorities as part of broadening antitrust investigation into foreign automakers, day after Audi revealed that in one Chinese province dealership network is facing government sanctions for breaking national antitrust rules; automakers' difficulties are part of broader pressure facing foreign companies from China's more energetic enforcement of antitrust rules. MORE

Aug. 12, 2014

Joe Nocera Op-Ed column examines how former sneaker marketer turned anti-NCAA crusader Sonny Vaccaro helped former UCLA basketball player Ed O'Bannon bring his successful antitrust suit against the NCAA; holds decision will probably not radically reshape college sports but, if it stands up on appeal, it may cause NCAA to lose its ability to argue that amateurism as an ideal justifies anticompetitive behavior. MORE

Aug. 11, 2014

China's increasing application of antimonopoly laws, targeting companies like Microsoft and Qualcomm, is raising concern in boardrooms around the world; foreign companies fear they could become easy targets for officials from array of competing agencies and local governments aiming to impress Pres Xi Jinping. MORE

Aug. 11, 2014

European Union’s languishing antitrust case against Russian gas company Gazprom may underscore reality that natural gas is off the table when it comes to economic sanctions over Ukraine crisis; half of Russian gas sent to Europe goes through Ukraine. MORE

Aug. 10, 2014

News analysis; Judge Claudia Wilken, who declared that NCAA's longstanding amateurism rules are a violation of antitrust laws, tempers blow to NCAA by suggesting that universities pay athletes via trust fund that they can gain access to once their college playing careers are over, and that NCAA puts cap on how much institutions can offer each player. MORE

Aug. 10, 2014

William C Rhoden Sports of The Times column holds that Judge Claudia Wilken's ruling against NCAA in antitrust trial of former UCLA basketball star Ed O'Bannon will prove revolutionary for a commercialized intercollegiate sports system that masquerades as an educational enterprise. MORE

One of the longest lawsuits involving the N.F.L. appears to be nearing an end as American Needle, a cap maker that sued the league after Reebok became the league’s exclusive apparel provider, agreed to settle.